Bengal-class Strike Carrier
The Bengal-class Strike Carrier was a type of strike carrier used by the Terran Confederation in the mid-27th century. The most famous example, was the which was included in Joan's Fighting Spacecraft Vega Sector Supplement for 2654.092. History The design of the Bengal was authorized by the Confederation prior to 2619, to fulfill the need for a heavy space carrier. The assignment to build the Bengals was won by Trojan Four Spaceyards. The pilot vessel of the Bengal-class, , entered service in 2619.Terran Confederation Handbook, page 34. The first operational Flight IIA Bengal, Tiger's Claw, was commissioned in 2644.Claw Marks, page 45. Following the launch of the Claw the Bengal design was modified once again, reducing the overall length to 690 meters and the mass by several tonnes. The , launched in 2645, reflected these changes. The Bengals would remain in production until 2657. All of the Bengal classification had a designator of "CVS" for Fleet Strike Carrier. The craft was also capable of flying without escorts, being an all-purpose vessel. This made them ideal for long-term deep space strikes against the Kilrathi. They served the Terran Confederation until 2668 or later. The Bengal-class carried a crew of 750. Physical Description Bengal-class ships were roughly 700 meters long. The main hull resembled a thin rectangle, with irregular towers jutting up and down from its the midsection. Flat, stubby delta wings grew from the rear of the ship, and two small pods (possibly weapon pods) extended from below the vessel. The Bengal-class was a fast, heavily armored and surprisingly well armed carrier with eighteen launch tubes, two small side-mounted bays and a single forward bay for launch and recovery of spacecraft. Its air wing of 104 fighters was not as large as the later , but was well stocked with combat starfighters of all types, and its launch tubes allow it to sortie all its fighters in twelve minutes. Fighters were launched and recovered from a runway structure atop the bow. This runway opened directly into the hangar bay. Rooms in the Claw would have gray walls and a bare metallic floor. They provide bunks, chairs, a desk with a computer terminal with limited access, and a closet for cleansing and elimination (designed for multi-species use). = Specifications - Bengal Class Carrier = Hull Length: 700 meters Mass: 80,000 tons Performance Maximum Velocity: 130 kps Cruise Velocity: 100 kps Acceleration: Poor Maximum Yaw: 1 dps Maximum Pitch: 1 dps Maximum Roll: 1 dps Shields Fore Shield: 21 cm equivalent Aft Shield: 21 cm equivalent Armor Forward: 24 cm Left: 25 cm Right: 25 cm Rear: 20 cm Armament *8x Dual Laser Turrets *20x Dual Laser Batteries Early-Variant (2619) Hull Length: 625 meters Mass: 55,000 tonnes Performance Maximum Velocity: 130 kps Cruise Velocity: 70 kps Shields & Armor 'Fore and aft meson shields 24 cm fore/20 cm aft armor 25 cm port/starboard armor Weapons *22 Point-Defense *8 turreted lasers *40 Torpedo Tubes *Fighter Compliment (104 fighters or bombers; one to four full squadrons) List of Notable Bengal-class Strike Carriers * * * * (lost 2654) * * * CV-07 (lost 2656) * (lost 2654)''Wing Commander Academy, Episode 6: "Chain of Command". * End Run, page * Behind the scenes In the Wing Commander Handbook is a variant Bengal-Class Carrier introduced as early as 2619. It is shorter than the Tiger's Claw at 625 M, with less mass 55,000 tonnes. This is partially explained in one of the manuals that Tiger's Claw was designed longer than other Bengals. References *Wing Commander I *Claw Marks Manual, Wing Commander I, *Wing Commander CIC Namesake *A Bengal is a type of cat and tiger, named for a region in India. External links *WCpedia: Bengal strike carrier category:WCI ships Category:Capital Ships